YokaiAngel + VampireHarry the 2 - thank you! Even the little reviews make me so happy!
Jon - I know! I thought that in GoF that they could have used veritaserum or something and easily discovered Harry's honesty, but where's the fun in that?
McGonogall and Dumbledore? Yawn. Even that wouldn't keep that abnormally large nose out of other people's business.
FangirlFriend2 - I'm glad you see no issue, but it became obvious early on that my preference for Vlad-centric didn't fly with most readers, and while I do enjoy writing Harry POV it's rather easy to slip to Vlad-heavy, 90% of everything I've ever written outside of Chosen Two has been Vlad POV
Guest - Thank you! I'm so unbelievably thrilled to hear someone else excited for Vlad in the tournament. I'll pass on your cheering to Vlad!
-YDHP-
His first priority, Vlad realised, should be fair play. Fleur would know, Viktor would know. He knew. Getting close to the favourite champion when he was the rule breaking egotist to most wasn't easy, but Vlad did have a trick up his sleeve.
"Why am I doing this?"
"You said he's a good guy. You know I don't like taking advantage of unfair... advantages. Just... get him to come here."
Ingrid rolled her eyes, waited for Vlad to be hidden behind the corner they were talking at and crossed over to where Cedric Diggory was sat talking with his friends. Peering around, Vlad watched the predictable eagerness from the boys as Ingrid politely requested Cedric follow her.
"Don't do it Ced, what if she's offing you so her brother wins?"
"As if. I'd love nothing better than the chance to see my baby brother repeatedly trampled. Come along Diggory."
On occasion, his sister's ego and vampiric allure did have it's uses. Cedric pushed his books back in his bag, hopped up and followed Ingrid most agreeably. Vlad rolled himself back around the corner, took a few steps back and waited.
"Ok, what's this about?"
Cedric looked between the Dracula siblings, cottoning on this was a set up. Vlad decided to get his point out quickly, rather than have Cedric worry this was some attempt at sabotage.
"Dragons. That's the first task. The others already know, I thought you should too."
"Are you joking? How do you..."
"Friendly dragon handler. I just wanted it to be an even playing field. I should go before your friends spot me."
Vlad moved to leave, but Cedric stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you."
Nodding, Vlad fell into step with Ingrid as Cedric returned to his friends. Most students were over by the Quidditch stadium, because it was currently being magically remodelled. There were a dozen enormous signs all over the place, assuring everyone concerned that the whole thing would be returned to normal after the tournament.
"So, word is that Bulgarian has a thing for you."
"I doubt it, we've not even really spoken other than when all the 'champions'" Ingrid smirked as Vlad added air quotes applying that word to himself "have to be together. Which has been exactly once so far since selection day."
"He's definitely seeking for the home team. Sits opposite me three times a day, anytime you're mentioned he's suddenly fascinated. When his classmates are flirting with the French, he's talking bloody Arithmancy with Theo."
"Theo?"
"Shut up. You call him that, Blaise calls him that. And unless you or the not Slytherin twin is at the table, they are my usual barricade between dinner and idiots."
Shaking his head, Vlad let the subject drop - he did call Theo by the shortened version of his name, and Vlad knew from a quietly shared secret that Theo had no more interest in girls than Vlad did. Nobody else knew, but apparently Theo could tell Vlad and he shared leanings. It was one of the reasons he was glad Theo got on well with Ingrid. And Blaise was still firmly in his 'no girls before OWLs' personal rule, which made them the perfect buffers for Ingrid to eat in peace.
Then there was Viktor, who helped Vlad bust out of an interview with bug-spray hair lady. Sat opposite Ingrid to keep Ron Weasley away, and, like the other 'champions', seemed to believe Vlad hadn't intentionally throw himself into this - they had all voluntarily gone in, were excited by the prospect of being chosen. Vlad was very much not.
"If that's all? I'm going to go wash the stink of helping off myself. You have an overgrown lizard to deal with."
Ingrid gave him an affectionate(ish) shoulder shove before taking off, leaving Vlad to amuse himself for an hour while Harry was off lamenting the transformation of the Quidditch pitch with Draco - he wholly expected Hermione to be nearby, rolling her eyes at them.
"You didn't have to do that."
Vlad jumped a little, turning to find a surprisingly alone Viktor Krum.
"Of course I did. Leaving him in the dark when everyone else knows would be unfair."
"Still. Your race isn't known for it's fairness."
The comment irritated Vlad. Just because Krum knew what he was, it didn't mean he knew a damn thing about him.
"And your school is known for the Dark Arts. Would it be fair of me to assume that means you're a bad guy?"
"My apologies. I did not mean to offend. I find the rarity of your kind fascinating, you even more so."
"You don't even know me."
"I vould like to."
Vlad was not telling Ingrid she was right. He was too busy wondering how one turned down an international Quidditch player without being obvious he was completely, madly in love with Harry Potter.
"I uh-"
"Relax Vladimir. I merely meant I vould like us to be friends."
"Oh. I guess that would be ok. So long as you stop calling me Vladimir, that usually means I'm in trouble. And don't tell anyone about me or Ingrid."
"Agreeable."
Viktor Krum actually smiled, and though it was diluted by his harsh-set features, the joy was genuine. There was the novelty of someone other than Hermione asking him if he wanted to go to the library, and a quiet sort of companionship in it - even if someone watching him do his Ancient Runes homework was a little weird.
"My understanding was that your magical ability is not found across siblings."
"Yeah, we've been told that. No idea whether it's just a rarity within a rarity, or more common than expected but unnoticed. With our lifespan, siblings can be centuries apart to a different partner. Still, I kind of like it. Me and Ingrid never got on before. Magic became a good bond between us."
"I am glad to hear that. I enjoy your sisters company, though not as much as Andrew does. At Durmstrang ve grow used to acerbic wit like hers."
"Ingrid probably enjoys that you and your friends keep that little rat away from her. That's practically friendship right there."
"Mmm, Ronald. He isn't, shall ve say, a favourite of mine. Can I assume his expulsion from Hogvarts is related to your sister?"
"Yes, but I'm not going to go into detail."
"Of course. Our headmaster had no fondness for him either, until the beginning of this year."
Which was mere weeks after Riddle had been resurrected. Favouritism by a death eater... Vlad had a resurgence of his desire to go put Weasley down like a dog.
"Vlad?"
"Sorry, I get lost in my own head sometimes. Does he like Durmstrang?"
"You mean does he enjoy dark arts?"
"Well I didn't want to sound accusatory."
"The answer is yes. Perhaps a little... too much but that's not uncommon."
"He was never that powerful here, suppose that could have changed by now."
Scratching out a mis-translated rune and correcting it, Vlad allowed a moment to imagine strapping Weasley to a thestral and feeding him to acromantula. When he came out of that little reverie, he found Viktor watching him rather closely.
"Dark magic is much more about intent than power. Can be fuelled by anger and hatred, not just magical ability."
Vlad didn't get much chance to answer, as they were interrupted mid-conversation.
"He was always a jealous, resentful little toad. Fraternising with the enemy Vladdo?"
"Fred. George. Eavesdropping?"
"Checking you weren't boring this seeker to death."
"We saw you at the world cup."
"Amazing!"
Vlad couldn't help grinning as the Bulgarian looked a tad overwhelmed by their dual-speech pattern, and came across quite humble when he thanked them. It became very clear very fast that Vlad's original opinion on the Durmstrang student was probably wrong.
"Where's Harry?"
"Presumably with Hermione and Draco."
"We say with..."
"They are trying to escape"
"While she was trying to get them up here."
It was only about half a minute later that two disgruntled teens were herded into the room, and Vlad half-expected to see Hermione holding her boyfriend and his pseudo-brother at wandpoint. They spotted the table Vlad was already at, Harry's eyes skipping over them quickly.
"I told you he would be here."
"How would you know that? He was with Ingrid when we left earlier."
"Don't argue with me. Work. Now."
Sufficiently cowed, Draco brightened when Hermione kissed his cheek before vanishing into the bookcases, coming back with half a dozen floating alongside her, revolving lazily above her wand tip.
"How much homework are you doing Hermione?"
Hermione checked the librarian wasn't looking, then thwacked a book across Harry's shoulder. For a second, Vlad felt compelled to attack her for hurting his mate, but remembered they were surrounded by people. And Harry was laughing as he rubbed his shoulder. He was fine.
"I vill let you get back to work. I should go make sure my friends aren't harassing the poor Beauxbatons girls."
Caught short, Vlad didn't know whether he wanted to encourage Viktor to stay or not. The decision was made for him rather quickly.
"Beauxbatons you say?"
"Come along Fred, let us assist the Bulgarian!"
If they weren't leaving anyway, Vlad was sure Madam Pince would have chased the Weasley twins out, several students watching them frogmarch the Durmstrang champion out with them.
"Most of the school is out watching the remodelling, for the tournament both of you are in. And you two are in the library, him watching you study. What's that about?"
Draco grinned as he asked, Hermione only looked half-interested but Harry looked... Vlad didn't know, but it was something a bit more intense than mere curiosity. Now the twins and the celebrity had left, they were mostly alone again.
"He said he wants to be friends. Thinks 'my kind' are fascinating apparently. Then he asked if I wanted to go to the library. Mostly he just watched me study. Bit unnerving but he didn't once try to eat me."
Hermione snorted, proving she had been listening as she gave Vlad a mildly disapproving look. Sticking his tongue out, Vlad finished the last equation on his Runes essay and leant back in his seat.
"The whole point of this contest is international cooperation, to make friends. So you boys let Vlad make friends, or I'll let Ginny and her bat-bogey hex loose on you."
Mollified, Draco and Harry both dropped their eyes to their work, and Hermione seemed satisfied. Harry was sat near him, so Vlad opted to get an early start on his Arithmancy work too, just to stay near his mate.
Harry didn't say much, not until they were alone again on the way to dinner.
"So, is he the airhead you expected?"
"No. He's quite mellow actually. Almost shy when Fred and George were going on about the world cup."
Harry nodded, brow set harsher than usual but when Vlad asked if he was ok, Harry's face smoothed out completely, and he swore he was fine.
Even so, Vlad wasn't convinced.
No Quidditch was still grating - especially with an international player in the school. Harry had a somewhat vain notion of challenging him, seeing how his talent matched up to the Bulgarian. He wouldn't admit it, but the complete lack of flying still sucked - they weren't even allowed to fly over the remodelled area. Massive rocks, dips, the stands had been raised up a little more. Spacious and ruggard - perfect for a dragon or four.
"Think we can get away with using the training pitch? I need to fly!"
"Master your animagus form then. Then you'll have wings."
Vlad was no help at all in his lamentations.
"I'm trying."
"I know. This isn't meant to be easy. Achieving the animagus transformation can take years. Hermione hasn't gotten anywhere with it either. And she usually beats us both at everything."
Scowling for show, Harry let Vlad fall silent to eat his sandwich - they were sat outside by the lake, neither much bothered by the cold. Trying to think about something other than his weird spikes of irritation, and the itching on his skin, Harry looked over at the stands.
"So. What are you going to do about your dragon?"
"Not a clue. I don't know what sort of dragons they are, and dragons are notoriously difficult to use magic against."
"Have you asked Charlie?"
Vlad leant against the tree, sighing slightly as he tossed the last corner of sandwich into the lake.
"Not had chance. Every time I see him he's with teachers. Bit obvious since I shouldn't know anything about any dragons. Stop scratching."
He hadn't even noticed, dropping his hand from the irritated skin of his arm. It was driving him mad.
"Have you asked Samael about it?"
"Not yet. I'm scared he will tell me I'm about to start shedding a Harry skin."
Vlad started laughing, which was horrendously unfair.
"Sorry, I just had this image of you, Lily and Samael all taking baths for days at a time. I don't think that you could physically shed. If you do can we use the skin to scare people?"
Right. Harry dived at him, tickling Vlad vengefully until the vampire was soaked in snow and clearly debating whether to use magic to defend himself from Harry. He stopped to give Vlad chance to breathe, and preferably apologise for his crass remarks. Vlad's cheeks were flushed with either laughter or cold, and for a second there was a weird intensity in the silence.
"If I say I'm sorry, will you get your elbow out of my left kidney?"
Realising he was on top of Vlad, out where anyone could see and totally misconstrue the position, Harry moved quickly, ignoring that it felt weirder to move than to not. He put it down to being used to physical contact when he had nightmares, because Vlad had never once stopped him seeking comfort in the middle of the night.
"Sorry. Wouldn't want your Bulgarian beau to see you rolling around with me in the snow."
Vlad raised an eyebrow, brushing snowflakes out of his hair and off his flushed cheeks, casting a drying charm on the back of his clothes where icy slush had soaked into the fabric.
"You mean Viktor? I've had all of two conversations with him, one about Ron Weasley and the other about how he wants to visit Romania some day."
Harry couldn't explain it. Ever since Hermione had harangued them into the library, and he had seen the way Viktor Krum looked at Vlad, he couldn't quite shake a sense that given half a chance, that seeker could make some change to their friendship. He wasn't jealous.
"Right. Still, nobody is going to believe we are just friends. Anyway. Dragons. Not me shedding Harry skin."
It had been a long time since the two of them had been awkward, and Harry didn't know what it was. They talked about dragons until Vlad had to go for another 'champion' thing. Harry wasn't imagining how he was back to spending time with Viktor Krum, because he had no reasoning for the emotions it stirred. Maybe he should focus on jealousy that Vlad was spending a lot of time with Fleur Delacour too. That was far safer thoughts.
He couldn't help talking to Samael about it though, wandering about in the trunk in only shorts to allow him to scratch his itchy skin.
"I don't understand it. And this itching is terrible!"
"It will pass."
"When?"
"You are having a growth spurt. It is normal for a serpent to experience itching and shedding."
"I'm not a serpent!"
Samael rolled his eyes, then brought his tail around to flick against Harry to stop him scratching.
"You are part me though wizard. Your growth will continue to be somewhat expedited, much like your vampire."
"He's not mine. Stop saying it like that."
"But he is."
"No. No he's not."
Exasperated, Samael flicked his tail again, stopping Harry scratching at his reddened chest - the tracks of his nails were very clear.
"Am I going to shed a Harry skin?"
"I shouldn't imagine so. You may find your skin renewal process happening at an accelerated rate for a few days. However, you are most of the way through this growth. I imagine your... human coverings must feel somewhat constricting."
The basilisk wasn't wrong - Harry was outgrowing some of his clothes. Some were more expensive, charmed to adjust for a few inches variation so that they would last the school year, but his older t-shirts stretched thin over his shoulders, felt way too tight around his arms. Feeling ridiculous, Harry tried to tense his muscles. His bicep and tricep were by no means huge, but they had definition and felt firm beneath his other hand. Very strange to someone who had spent twelve years middling the underweight category.
"How do I make the itching stop?"
"Bathe. Surely that much is obvious silly wizard."
Lily interjected, wrapping her lower half around his hand to stop him scratching and stretching her emerald scales out along his confusingly broad forearm.
"Showers are easier, but thank you. Pest."
Both snakes laughed aloud, the joyfully amused hissing noises music to his ears for a moment.
"Why do you say the vampire isn't yours? You have never denied him before."
"It gets weirder every year, reminds me that it's only a little while until Vlad's transforming and graduating and off to his world. But everyone always pairs us together, and that's... we aren't together. Vlad... Vlad is entitled to be his own person, find new people."
"It's not my area of expertise, I admit, but are you experiencing envy toward someone?"
Bloody hell, even his pets were on this.
"No. I'm not jealous, I just... this year has been crazy, and there's lots more to come. And Vlad has someone who's so clearly into him even I... what's wrong with me? Why does that matter? Vlad didn't care when I was dating Susan."
On some level, Harry knew Vlad had been bothered, but that was easily put down to the fact Susan didn't like him, and that Harry had spent alot of time with her.
"I cannot answer that. We may be bonded, but I am not omniscient within your mind wizard."
He left soon after, lest he continue a deep and uncharted soul search that could lead to all sorts of thoughts his brain wasn't ready to acknowledge. And Harry really wanted to take a bath, which blissfully reduced the mind-consuming itch. His nails were roughly worn from scratching his harder skin, but by the time he eventually accepted he had to leave the cooling water there was no sign of inflammation where he had been scratching constantly.
The itching lessened, not abating but enough that Harry could ignore it for bed, biting the head off his jelly slug viciously and ignoring the knowing look of Lily. Or trying to.
"Stop looking at me like that. Any ideas for how Vlad can deal with a dragon?"
"Aim for the eyes. Sing it a lullaby in Parseltongue. Look less like a tasty meal. And never, ever go near a nesting mothers eggs."
Unsure how much of that was satire, and how much was valid advice, Harry put Lily into her tank and got comfortable in his bed. Lily didn't stay put for long, slithering back out to coil up at the end of his bed.
"Mother!"
"Welcome home darling. I do miss you so dearly when you leave for school."
"I know mother, and I miss you and father dearly. However, school is such fun!"
Solace beamed at her daughter, the elegance of her etiquette education clear even through her joyful excitement. Amelia Peverell-Potter (she went by Peverell at school, and Potter in the Muggle world for secrecy's sake) next greeted her brother. They weren't even vaguely alike in looks, as Brandon was an adopted squib, with his sandy blonde hair and green eyes, and Amelia a witch with black hair and grayish- blue eyes, but her brother was also her best friend.
"You get fancier every year, next you'll be sipping tea from tiny cups and ordering me about. Oh wait, you do do that!"
"Brandon, shut up."
"Missed you too Amelia."
He was three years younger, but spent most of his time helping their father take care of the land they lived on, was broad and muscular for a twelve year old. He could easily lift her, hugging her joyfully before their father took his turn greeting Amelia.
Solace Slytherin surveyed her two children, who knew her only as "mother" or "Sunny Peverell", feeling unbelievably happy with every tender, perfect family moment such as this.
Harry didn't violently bolt awake, but his eyes did open as the raw sense of loneliness tore through his chest. Bloody dreams. He reached for the dreamless sleep vial, then looked over at Vlad's drawn curtains. Deliberating, he had the vial uncorked and most of the way to his mouth before changing his mind. Vlad didn't even ask, just shifted along a little to make space for Harry. Their previous awkwardness gone, Harry swallowed his potion and fell asleep quickly.
"Sorry."
"Don't apologise. You're the only one of us who thinks it's weird. If I minded, you would know about it."
Chagrined, Harry watched as Vlad left to wash up and dress, then indicated Harry could leave without being seen. Everything was fine, until he was leaving for Healing and saw Vlad walking off with Viktor Krum.
He wasn't jealous, so why did it bother him?
-YDHP-
My apologies for a late update, I was delayed by the season finale of Sherlock and some screaming at the dramatics.